increasing my BB/Hr

I want to discuss a leak I have in order to maybe figure out a way to stop it. I 4 table 50NL and soon will be going up to 100NL. At 50NL when I play proper I am successful. I tend to atleast double my stack on atleast 1 of the 4 tables. I still have a lot to learn, but for now I am happy with my progress. But I have this horrible leak and I can't figure out how to stop it.
Every now and then for some reason as soon as I sit down I start playing into people that I dont yet have reads on. I pretty much make donk calls and bets and spew chips. Cause players see me as a donk sometimes this leads to stacking a player when I actually hit, but generally this play leads to me loosing chips, and the more chips I lose the worse I play and lose more chips dropping a few buyins in the process. After a while I tighten up and win some of it back, but usually not enough.
My other leak happens when it seams like every player is trying to make moves on me. every cbet gets re-raised, every bet gets called, and eventually I tilt and spew a bunch of chips as above. Or re-raise these players with marginal hands and end up going all in and losing.
So far I have tried a few things to stop these trends. I have tried writing sticky notes on the monitor that say. "you are not a donk" and "think" That has not worked. when I catch myself I try yelling to myself in the chair on the monitor telling me to stop being stupid.
These lapses of insanity have decreased since I started playing, but they are still there and I just can't get rid of em. Maybe you guys can help me.
Please!

-Beck

I think a lot of us go through this stage...

I used to blame party poker for making it look like I was playing with cartoon characters. How can you take the game seriously when they look like that?

I still do this sometimes, but it's pretty infrequent. 3 weeks ago I sat down at a 2/5 and looked around at a bunch of college kids. I decided to try to push them around in my first few hands. They caught hands, and I lost over $100 in my first 4 hands. Oooops... I just took a breath and started to screw down. I waited for some cards, because I knew they wouldn't let me make plays at this point, and took most of it back within the next hour.

Don't call yourself stupid, don't yell, and if you think of making another loose play to get some of the money back, just log out.

When you log back in, vow to yourself that you'll play like the tightest bonus-grinding nit in the history of online poker for the first rotation. Then get comfy, and get it going.

I dont really yell, but I physically point to my chair on the screen and say "don't be stupid" or "don't be a donk"

"screw down" I like that term. I think maybe what I need to do is for atleast 1 rotation play super super tight, then loosen up once I get comfortable with the fish

-beck

What's different about those sessions that you immediately start playing like a donk in? Are you under time pressure? Did you just get home and are jonesing for some action?

I have a list of "rules" that I read before every session, five short and sweet reminders about the biggest leaks in my game. It isn't foolproof, but it helps I think.

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Originally Posted by zook

What's different about those sessions that you immediately start playing like a donk in? Are you under time pressure? Did you just get home and are jonesing for some action?

I have a list of "rules" that I read before every session, five short and sweet reminders about the biggest leaks in my game. It isn't foolproof, but it helps I think.

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I think I sit down with all this confidence, too much confidence.
what rules do you have? maybe I can use them.

Im good enough, Im smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me.

Say that in front of the mirror 5 times before playing

Here are my current ones. They frequently change.

1. CONCENTRATION! Playing 6-8 tables requires as much as you can give it. Set up music beforehand, close Outlook, no browsing, no phone calls.

2. PATIENCE! Poker is a long-term game.

3. TAKE YOUR TIME when facing big bets.

4. Look closely at player notes/stats before playing post-flop.

5. Put players on a hand before betting turn and river!

6. Before you push a draw, consider dead money and fold equity.

7.

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Originally Posted by bigspenda73

Im good enough, Im smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me.

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i could try these things. I will try anything at this point

It's probably better if you analyze your leaks and come up with your own list. But if you already have sticky notes on your computer, I'm not sure how much reading a list is going to help anyway.

happens to the best of us Beck. ive thought of sticking a WAIT sign to my screen, in order to slow my reaction times down.

i think ill take something out of this thread for sure.

I always start off splashing around. I need to make it a habit to start off like a total nit until I get into the flow of the game..

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Originally Posted by jackvance

I always start off splashing around. I need to make it a habit to start off like a total nit until I get into the flow of the game..

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this works well only if you get lucky enough to hit something while every player at the table thinks you are a fish and stacks of to you. rare but it happens

-beck

i still get nervous before i start a grinding session

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Originally Posted by Miffed22001

i still get nervous before i start a grinding session

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I think this is the case for a large amount of us. Everyone gets those jitters. Its all about the unknown, the rush of poker. It's why we play. Every session we could win 10 buyins or lose 10 buyins. It's that uncertainty that makes it exciting and worth it.